Perfectly Hopeless (9 page)

“
Look here, Henri. If by some crazy miracle you decide to take my sister to the dance I promise I won’t let you show up looking like a complete idiot.” Nick patted him on the shoulder.

Henri shook his head. “Thanks for that. I think I see Maven.” He waved, heading up the sidewalk. It was a kind gesture, but he had Flynn to guide him through the tough obstacles of manhood. Besides, he wasn’t a complete idiot. He knew if all else failed he could ask April or Sandra if he looked like an idiot they were very fashionable and always devouring fashion magazines in their spare time at the yogurt hut.

There she stood.

“
Henri Levitt,” Maven said jokingly. She was wearing a flannel dress that stopped above the knee, white sandals with the cutest pink toenails and her hair was spilling all around her shoulder in soft waves, her cheeks were dusted with a light pink blush and her lips were kissed with a fresh shimmery lip-gloss. “I thought we agreed on eleven.”

He dropped his head in defeat. “You got me.”

She brought her hands to her hips, poking one leg forward. Her smile as bright as the sunshine pounding down on him, he ran a hand down the back of his neck, amused she was teasing him about being three minutes late.

“
I always thought you were such the gentleman.” She smiled sweetly, coming down the steps. And instead of their usual greeting, she moved in, wrapping her arms around his torso. The sweet smell of her hair and perfume tickling his nose, he immediately did the same, squeezing her tightly.

“
I never said I was gentle. And most days I don’t feel to manly.” He grinned as they broke apart.

Maven’s father opened the screen door. He stepped onto the porch. He was a lot sterner then Henri anticipated. A tall muscular frame, arms as big as tree trunks. He wasn’t the man to mess with, Henri could see that. His eyes narrowed and he jutted his chin forward staring at the two of them. Maven quickly put a space between them.

“
Hey, Dad.” She waved.

“
You two heading on down to help with the painting?” He settled into the rocking chair, his mass dwarfing the chair. The sunlight made his wavy brown hair glisten, and also showed the hints of silver sprinkled around in it. He had a fair complexion and deep blue eyes that were always analyzing his surroundings.

Henri looked at Maven before he opened his mouth to reply. “Yes,sir.”

His dark eyebrows knitted together sizing him up further. A boy with manners this was new. Jake hardly called him his own name. He was used to
bro
or
dude
. He leaned back in his chair, a small grin creeping up on his face as he shook out the newspaper that only seconds before was lying at his feet.

Maven shook her head. “You can call him Grant. He’s not as mean as he looks I swear.”

Henri refused to believe this. Grant looked
meaner
then he looked. And the way he watched his daughter told him he cared a great deal about her and her happiness. He could tell he didn’t trust just anyone with his family.

“
You two have a good time. Tell Miss Lisa hello for me and your mother.”

Maven agreed. She gave Henri the look before she turned on her heels and started down the sidewalk.

“
Your dad is scary,” Henri said as they walked down the cobblestone road to get to Portwood square. It literally was the end of the line, the last bit of property owned by Portwood. A cul-de-sac strewn with willows, park benches and a little concession stand for drinks and food. And one aged barn that housed all the summer decorations.

“
He’s
so
not.” She gave Henri a smile staring down at her feet. “He’s a doctor. And he is super nice to all his patients. He’s scarier to his us if anything.”

Henri’s expression fell. Maven waved a hand. “I didn’t mean it that way. He’s a good man. He just… expects a lot from us kids.”

“
That’s not so bad,” Henri said. “It’s good that your parents expect a lot from you. If they didn’t care who else would?”

“
I understand that. But most kids my age don’t. A lot of people give us a hard time. I’ve been called a goodie goodie my entire life.” She shrugged. “I got used to it a long time ago though.”

Henri couldn’t help but feel bad. “I’m sure your real friends didn’t think that right?”

Maven laughed. She had no
real
friends. “The friends I had I no longer talk to. Ever since Jake and I broke up we haven’t spoke. They decided being friends with Jake was more important I suppose.”

One time Maven had lots of friends. Friends she confided in, ones that spent the night at her house. The kind you called all hours of the day and night to gossip with, but soon that all changed. Soon an imaginary divide had her on a totally different level then everyone else. Her friends were no longer her friends. They were Jake and Tatiana’s.

The day of gossip and sleepovers soon was a memory. And the only friends she had were her family. And Maggie wasn’t the greatest at relating to her. Maggie hated her for being sad all the time.

Henri took her hand. “Then I guess they weren’t very important after all.”

She smiled. “No, they weren’t.”

“
I know the feeling.” He stopped walking. “When everyone in Tennessee found out I was sick they suddenly forgot how to call. Nobody wanted to invite me out because they were afraid I was going to drop dead.” His own girlfriend had bailed. Someone he thought cared about him. She stuck around for a week, but soon the medications and testing became too much of a burden and that’s when he found out she was dating one of his close friends. It was also when he decided he had enough of Tennessee and moved to Georgia. His parents were upset. They just wanted to take care of him. But he was tired of the disappointment—he was also tired of feeling like a disappointment.

Maven tugged his hand, bringing him back to life. “What are you thinking about?”

Henri smirked. “I am thinking about how pretty you are.”

Maven laughed. “You
so
are not.”

“
I
so
am.” They fell silent. Henri pulled her close, his hands resting on her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. “How could I not?”

Maven lifted her head, kissing him on the chin. Henri dropped his head, placing a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled away, wiping at the lip-gloss now coating his lips.

“
That’s so your shade.” She teased, finally they started walking.

Jake Summit blindly painted a wooden sign with white paint, watching Maven and Henri talk to Ms. Lisa. He had caught the tail end of their kiss. He dropped his brush into the paint tray, dropping down from the step ladder. He drug the back of his hand against his forehead wiping the sweat away before approaching the three of them.

“
Henri you can come with me and I’ll show you what there is to work on,” Miss Lisa said leading Henri away. This was perfect timing.

Jake slung his shirt over his shoulder and tapped Maven on the shoulder. She spun around and gasped. “Jake.”

“
Hey there, Maven.” He grinned. “Didn’t think you would have it in you to come.”

She couldn’t believe he was bothering her. She had hoped the day went well, but already it was proving to be horrible. “Don’t let me keep you.” She shoved past, but Jake grabbed her by the arm.

“
Oh, don’t be like that.” He brushed her hair from her shoulder, his fingers grazing her skin. “This used to be our thing. You always looked so cute painting in your little dresses.” His gaze fell to her dress. One she wore several times on dates with Jake. Now she wanted to burn it.

“
Isn’t Tatiana wondering where you are by now?” She bit her tongue before she said any more.

“
Tatiana wasn’t allowed to come. She’s grounded.” He ran a hand through his hair, his tan torso gleaming with sweat. Maven looked past his fit physique disgusted at the sight of him anymore. At one time she found herself lusting over his body, but not anymore. It meant nothing to her.

“
That’s right, she’s a junior,” she said under her breath. Jake and she were officially out of high school and he was dating Tatiana who would be a junior when they were off at college. He sure knew how to pick them.

“
Her parents sort of walked in on us. You know…bad timing.” He stepped closer whispering in her ear. “Remember that night you snuck me in your bedroom and your parents almost found out?”

Maven looked away, pushing into Jake. “No, I don’t.” She lied. It was now nothing more than the biggest mistake of her life—the night she slept with Jake and many times thereafter. She turned away before he could see how upset he was making her.

“
Those were great times, Maves,” he said from behind her.

“
Go away, Jake.”

Jake smirked. “You can’t tell me you don’t think about you and me anymore.”

Maven pulled it together turning to face Jake again. “No. I don’t think about you and me anymore. There’s nothing to think about. You’re a big fat mistake, a regret I wish I could totally remove from my memory.” She kept a straight face daring him to say anything more.

“
You moved on huh?” Jake shot a look in Henri’s direction. Henri was fast approaching with a gallon of paint and two brushes. “He’s kind of scrawny. A bit weird too. Doesn’t seem like your type.”

Maven ignored him. She had nothing to say nor did she feel like she had to defend Henri or any guy to Jake. Jake meant nothing.

“
I hear the kid has issues.” Jake really knew how to get under somebody’s skin. “I wonder what’s wrong with him. I’m sure it’s something dreadful.”

Maven slapped Jake in the arm. She pushed him next, almost taking down a group of girls walking behind them. “Just get the hell out of here, Jake!”

He stared at Maven, shocked she was lashing out at him. It wasn’t like her. He opened his mouth to speak.

“
Nobody cares what you have to say!” She screamed before he could form words. “You cheated on me and lied to me our entire relationship. Why do you think I care what you have to say?”

Jake shook his head. The crowd gathered had heard every word and he felt stupid now. He didn’t like looking like an idiot. He pushed through the gawking crowd taking off.

Henri dropped the paint at his feet, watching Jake hightailing it down the middle of the street, his tail between his legs. Whatever Maven had said really did a number on him. He carefully looked over at her, careful not to step in her space. He knew Jake was a sensitive issue for her.

Maven brushed her bangs from her eyes, sniffling. She was crying. Crying like an idiot, and doing a wretched job at hiding behind her hair so that the crowd couldn’t see her misery.

“
I’m sorry. He just really knows how to get to me.” She lifted the paint. “I would think I would know how to ignore him by now. But he
always
is right there in my face.”

Henri shrugged. “No worries, looks like he is long gone now.” He kneeled down, dipping a paint brush into the black paint.

“
I swear this isn’t the way I usually am.” She took a deep breath, trying to smile in spite of all the tears that just kept fighting to come out.

Henri dropped his paintbrush. He took her face in his hands staring deeply into her eyes. Not uttering a sound just watching her emotions seep out in front of him. His thumbs dragging under her eyes taking care of every tear that escaped.

Maven squeezed his arm. “Thanks.”

Henri shook his head. “Don’t thank me. That guy is an idiot. Anyone who treats a girl like you badly is an idiot. And he doesn’t deserve your tears, so just turn them off and we’ll paint. But I’m not letting you go until all the tears are gone.”

Maven’s eyes fluttered, she took a deep cleansing breath. Several girls from her school off in the distance watching Henri and her. Henri gained her attention again. “Forget about everyone. They don’t matter. Who cares if you cried, so what? Everyone cries. Just close your eyes.”

Maven did as he asked. “Okay.”

Henri looked over at the girl’s giving Maven dirty looks. It was amusing to all these people to see Maven’s unhappiness play out in public. He lifted her chin, placing a kiss on her lips. The world suddenly didn’t matter as he kissed her. Maven didn’t feel panicked any longer. She opened her eyes.